Show – Puppy Trim

 1. Shave neck and face as for pet trim. Do not clip too far into the full coat. Clip feet only (do not clip any of the ankles.) Clip bottom ½ of tail as for pet trim. Clip belly hair as for pet trim.
2. To shorten the appearance of the body, scissor the hair on the fore-chest below the throat to ½   inch in length, then with scissors graduate the hair into the fuller length hair at side of body. For the same reason, shorten hair on “seat” and back of rear legs from rectum to the hock joint to a short ½ inch length and with scissors blend this into the longer hair on sides of back legs. Scissor hair on hocks as illustrated. Shorten hair on chest under body to length of ½ inch, to make the dog look leggier, more “up on leg” and blend this short hair into longer body hair. Tidy “tuck-up”. 
3. Shave tail and scissor tail pom as for pet trim.
4. On top line, make a straight line from immediately in front of tail set (½" at this point) up to the full length of the hair at base of neck (or withers). For necessary changes as the pup's coat grows, check good show photos in magazines.
5. AT no TIME CUT OR SCISSOR ANY HAIR AT ALL OFF THE TOP KNOT. First put the baby topknot up in two small “devil's horns” then when the hair is longer, into a very tiny single top knot over eyes. For these purposes use only soft gentle orthodontic elastics.
6. Scissor all hair over feet off first in a precise straight line. Then, gradually shape the leg bottom into an artistic shape that pleases you and suits your dog.
7. Scissor untidy little ends off all body hair. Your aim to have your dog's coat look neat, trim, exact.
For subtle shaping of the coat from month to month, do as I do and closely study and copy pictures of the best-looking puppies in the poodle magazines. Styles change, Keep up to date!